Steering Rack Options / Alternatives
Thread Starter
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,575
Likes: 7,253
From: CT
Steering Rack Options / Alternatives
I don't have a problem with either car yet, but thought we ought to start collecting some wisdom.
Rebuilding details have been provided on the forum thanks to @MetalMan2 .
TurnOne offers rebuilds. I hear they are also testing and soon to release a Tight Ratio rack for C5s and C6s. No word yet on how this will affect anyone's AH/TC system.
I have read in the past of aftermarket brands being used as replacements. These were in track cars and some required some cutting and drilling on the crossmember to fit. If I encounter those again I will come back here to add information to the list. For now this is basically a tab holder to hopefully garner additional input from those with information to share.
Rebuilding details have been provided on the forum thanks to @MetalMan2 .
TurnOne offers rebuilds. I hear they are also testing and soon to release a Tight Ratio rack for C5s and C6s. No word yet on how this will affect anyone's AH/TC system.
I have read in the past of aftermarket brands being used as replacements. These were in track cars and some required some cutting and drilling on the crossmember to fit. If I encounter those again I will come back here to add information to the list. For now this is basically a tab holder to hopefully garner additional input from those with information to share.
Thread Starter
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,575
Likes: 7,253
From: CT
It's a bit of a page keeper. At some point I'll go back and find the other information and links again and bring it back here. I've got a lot of normal life stuff in the air right now though.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,961
Likes: 693
From: Avon Lake OH
I just wanted to bring this one back to life after talking to the folks at Turn One at the PRI show this weekend. Yes they have an approximate 30% quicker ratio option now available for both the C5 & C6 steering rakes. The change drops the factory ratio from approximately 16:1 down to 11:1. It is not inexpensive, but then again neither is much else involving serious modifications to the C5/C6 Corvette either. They said they have done about 45 units so far for customers. I don't think there is anything wrong with my rake per say, but after 88K miles (even with the Z51 cooler from the factory) I still would like to send it to them for a rebuild before installing their HP1 pump.
https://turnonesteering.com/product/...ding-services/
https://turnonesteering.com/product/...ding-services/
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,961
Likes: 693
From: Avon Lake OH
I also suppose if you want to go the full nuclear option, there is one other possibility. You can swap in the C6 Z06 / ZR1 front magnesium subframe along with the '09-13 variable ratio steering rake. It has a 17:1 on center ratio and then when you moved it about 15% or so off center, the ratio drops to 14.6:1. Heck use the lighter C6 magnesium engine mount brackets, the beefed up stronger later C6 knuckles designed to work with the Z07 / ZR1 Brembo carbon ceramic brakes and the 33 spline active ABS hubs along with an aftermarket ABS controller. Might be easier (not cheaper) to just buy a later C6 Z06 Z07 or ZR1 
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Thread Starter
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,575
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From: CT
I usually navigate using "my recent topics" and would not have caught this update save for me being wife awake at 4am on a Monday. Lol
Glad to hear they are moving product. I have thought of the C6 magnesium crossmember if one ever pops up cheap and nearby. But I'm good on the rest! Lol. Plus I'm locked in on mounts to work with the Huron turbos. The Z06 will likely never have need of racing abs. The coupe may if I keep it a few years though. Who knows? Probably not. But it will be fun to compare and contrast the two cars.
Glad to hear they are moving product. I have thought of the C6 magnesium crossmember if one ever pops up cheap and nearby. But I'm good on the rest! Lol. Plus I'm locked in on mounts to work with the Huron turbos. The Z06 will likely never have need of racing abs. The coupe may if I keep it a few years though. Who knows? Probably not. But it will be fun to compare and contrast the two cars.
No Hostility Be Happy
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From: South Hill Wa
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Thread Starter
Running Guns & Moonshine
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From: CT
Email notices for me would probably go unchecked. I maintain an actual email which is pretty clean, and a public email for forums and the like which is spam city and not maintained. It happens frequently that if I don't see something I'll just get 'mentioned' in the topic and get notified by DM here.
The only things I've missed on occasion and lament missing them are posts by MetalMan2. He speaks and I try to listen because his topics and explanations are never short of educational.
The only things I've missed on occasion and lament missing them are posts by MetalMan2. He speaks and I try to listen because his topics and explanations are never short of educational.
Instructor
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Thread Starter
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: CT
This is the c6 swap thread.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rack-swap.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rack-swap.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 2,647
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From: Orange County, CA
Not mine 
Really cool and seems like a great idea, though. I worked with @jonofmac to incorporate SWPS Manipulator tweaks to accommodate the C6 GS rack.
Really cool and seems like a great idea, though. I worked with @jonofmac to incorporate SWPS Manipulator tweaks to accommodate the C6 GS rack.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,961
Likes: 693
From: Avon Lake OH
Okay just for clarification (so I am not more confused than normal), the C6 used three (3) different non-interchangeable steering rakes over the years, as noted here;
https://turnonesteering.com/products...k-and-pinions/
So there is the '05-07, the one year only '08 (so-called improved feel) and the '09-13 variable ratio rake. So when all of you are talking about the "C6 GS rake", I would have to presume that you are talking about the '09-13 variable ratio rake, correct? And am I also to presume that someone has figured out how to get the electrics of the '09-13 variable ratio rake to play nice in a C5 (along with all the required other mechanical pieces/parts that also need to go along with said swap), again correct?
https://turnonesteering.com/products...k-and-pinions/
So there is the '05-07, the one year only '08 (so-called improved feel) and the '09-13 variable ratio rake. So when all of you are talking about the "C6 GS rake", I would have to presume that you are talking about the '09-13 variable ratio rake, correct? And am I also to presume that someone has figured out how to get the electrics of the '09-13 variable ratio rake to play nice in a C5 (along with all the required other mechanical pieces/parts that also need to go along with said swap), again correct?
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 511
Likes: 65
From: Vancouver BC
Okay just for clarification (so I am not more confused than normal), the C6 used three (3) different non-interchangeable steering rakes over the years, as noted here;
https://turnonesteering.com/products...k-and-pinions/
So there is the '05-07, the one year only '08 (so-called improved feel) and the '09-13 variable ratio rake. So when all of you are talking about the "C6 GS rake", I would have to presume that you are talking about the '09-13 variable ratio rake, correct? And am I also to presume that someone has figured out how to get the electrics of the '09-13 variable ratio rake to play nice in a C5 (along with all the required other mechanical pieces/parts that also need to go along with said swap), again correct?
https://turnonesteering.com/products...k-and-pinions/
So there is the '05-07, the one year only '08 (so-called improved feel) and the '09-13 variable ratio rake. So when all of you are talking about the "C6 GS rake", I would have to presume that you are talking about the '09-13 variable ratio rake, correct? And am I also to presume that someone has figured out how to get the electrics of the '09-13 variable ratio rake to play nice in a C5 (along with all the required other mechanical pieces/parts that also need to go along with said swap), again correct?
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,961
Likes: 693
From: Avon Lake OH
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1586526989
This older comment from Talon90 back in 2011 did not recommend swapping the '09-13 rake into older C6 due to all the electronics involved;
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1586526989
But then again that was many years ago and time, as well as enthusiastic persistence marches on.
I see that jonofmac has done the complete C6 subframe swap with the '09-13 steering rake. I have a friend that has done the C6 Z06 magnesium from sub frame swap (not sure what rake he is using) but he has the lighter C6 engine mount brackets, but all of that is in one of his NASA race cars. I was just wondering how or if the electronic software issues were addressed and if it is compatible with the C5 and say the active handling (early vs later) systems.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rack-swap.html
Thread Starter
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,575
Likes: 7,253
From: CT